Thursday 18 June 2009

Chess archive: Second national closed championship, 21-27 Dec 1975

When the Penang Chess Association was given the option to organise the Second National Closed Championship in 1975, it decided to hold the event at the end of the year to coincide with the Pesta Pulau Pinang. Here is the Press Statement which was issued prior to the start of the championship:
PENANG CHESS ASSOCIATION
PRESS STATEMENT
SECOND MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL CHESS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1975

The above championship will be hosted by the Penang Chess Association at the Malayan Teachers College, Glugor, Penang, from 21st December until 27th December.

The tournament will be played based on a 6 round "Swiss System". Playing sessions start from 6.00pm to 11.00pm daily.

The following representatives will be participating in the championship:- Jerry Augustus, Hu Yu Kuang, Ee.Ley Hoon, Tang Kok Chiew (all Johore); Alias bin Omar, Yusoff bin Ismail, Hassan bin Yaakub, Abdul Rahman bin Ahmad. (all Kelantan); Chuah Heng Meng, Goh Yoon Wah, Wong Cheng Ghee, Tan Bian Huat (all Penang); Chan Swee Loon, Yaacob bin Buyong, Ahmad Daud, Alan Hor Yew Tuck (all Perak); Tay Chong.Thai, Surinder Singh, Tan Vooi Giap, Francis Chin Choy Wah (all Selangor); and Namli bin Seman (Pahang). Choo Min Wang, last year's national champion, will be defending his title.

The Closing and Prize-giving Ceremonies will be held at Rajah Lounge, Hotel Ambassador, Penang on 27th December at 1.00pm. The State Secretary, Yang Berhormat Datuk Mohamed bin Yeop Abdul Raof DMN, KMN, the Malaysian Chess Federation President Datuk Tan Chin Nam DPMS, the Penang Chess Association Patron Mr Low Hooi Siah JMN, JP, and the political secretary to the Chief Minister Yang Berhormat Encik Khor Gark Kim have kindly consented to give away the prizes.

Fang Ewe Churh PJM
President
Penang Chess Association
The Chief Arbiter of the championship was Fang Ewe Churh and the Tournament Director was Gong Wooi Mau. His deputies were Ng Moon Lean, Quah Seng Sun and Tan Kai Ming, while the assistants were Cheah Hooi Seng, Chin Cheong Phoey, Fong Foo Khun and Ooi Gim Eng.

Here is a report on the championship, reproduced from the Tournament Bulletin:
Report of the Second Malaysian Chess Individual Championship
The Second Malaysian Individual Championship was hosted by the Penang Chess Association and was held from December 21 to December 26,1975 at the Malayan Teachers College, Penang. There were 22 participants - four each from the states of Johore, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, and Selangor, one from Pahang and the defending champion Choo Min Wang from Selangor. The six-round Swiss tournament was played with a time Iimit of 2 1/2 hours for 40 moves. Each evening the tournament started at 6.00pm and the adjournments were played the next morning at 9.00am.

The tournament was keenly contested and the prize winners were only decided after the final round. Chan Swee Loon of Perak with 5 1/2 points emerged as the winner and was awarded the Datuk Hussein Onn Challenge Trophy and a 10-inch pewter tray. Choo Min Wang of Selangor, the defending champion, with 4 1/2 points was awarded the second prize, an eight-inch pewter tray. There was a three-way tie for third to fifth places between Tang Kok Chiew of Johore, Abdul Rahman of Kelantan and Yaacob Buyong of Perak, each having four points. However, the third prize was awarded to Tang Kok Chiew after considering the Sonnenborn-Berger points and the number of wins.

An eight-table luncheon for the participants was held at the Rajah Room, Hotel Ambassador. During this luncheon the trophy and prizes were given away. The pewter prizes were all given by the Penang Chess Association. Each of the participants received $5 per day for the duration of the tournament. In addition, each participant also received a souvenir Aica chess board.

The Penang Chess Association would like to thank the following donors for their generous contributions without which it would not have been possible to hold the tournament:
Low Hooi Siah JMN, JP $1,500
Datuk Tan Chin Nam (President of MCF) $1,000
Malaysian Aica Company $500
Juan Tara Consultant Berhad $100
Akitek Antara $100

In conclusion, the Penang Chess Association would like to thank all the participants for their high degree of sportsmanship both on and off the board and also for their bearing with us our shortcomings and our inexperience in organisation.

The final standings of the championship:

Chan Swee Loon (Perak) 5 1/2 points
Choo Min Wang (Selangor), Tang Kok Chiew (Johore), Abdul Rahman bin Ahmad (Kelantan), Yaacob Buyong (Perak) 4 points
Tan Bian Huat (Penang), Francis Chin Choy Wah (Selangor), Surander Singh (Selangor) 3 1/2 points
Goh Yoon Wah (Penang), Namli Seman (Pahang), Tan Vooi Giap (Selangor), Ee Ley Hoon (Johore), Alan Hor Yew Tuck(Perak), Ahmad Daud (Perak) 3 points
Chuah Heng Meng (Penang), Wong Cheng Ghee (Penang) 2 1/2 points
Tay Chong Thai (Selangor), Hu Yu Kuang (Johore), Jerry Augustus (Johore), Yussof Ismail (Kelantan) 2 points
Kuan Nam Sang (Kelantan) 1 1/2 points
Chia Ah Seng (Kelantan) 1 point

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